Technodelics–Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Its Wild Romance with VR and AR

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have emerged as promising technologies with the potential to revolutionise the field of psychotherapy. These immersive technologies provide unique opportunities to create simulated environments that can be used to assess, understand, and treat mental health disorders.

By Alexandra Plesner

Integrating VR and AR into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, or technodelics, holds promise for expanding therapeutic possibilities. These technologies can provide tailored environments and experiences, enabling therapists to design immersive settings that support therapeutic goals and enhance the psychedelic journey. By immersing individuals in carefully crafted virtual environments or overlaying meaningful digital content onto their real-world surroundings, technodelics aim to deepen the therapeutic experience and facilitate personal growth and healing.

Technodelics have the potential to enhance the psychedelic experience in various ways. VR can create immersive settings that promote relaxation, introspection, and visual stimulation, amplifying the therapeutic effects of the psychedelic substance. Customised virtual environments can be designed to meet individual needs, providing visually captivating and immersive landscapes that complement and enhance the emotional journey.

Conversely, AR can blend the real and digital worlds, providing real-time guidance, therapeutic prompts, and supportive visuals during the psychedelic experience. AR can augment the psychedelic journey by overlaying meaningful symbols, metaphors, or interactive elements onto the individual's physical environment, facilitating introspection and insight.

Image: Nasa

Human Nature and the Rise of Technodelics

As the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy continues to gain recognition and acceptance, there is ongoing work towards legalising the use of psychedelics in therapeutic settings. While these substances are currently not universally legal for therapy, parallel explorations are underway to optimise the therapeutic potential of psychedelics with the integration of technology.

The term "technodelics" refers to the fusion of technology, particularly VR and AR, with psychedelic-assisted therapy. Zeifman and Wagner (2021) introduce the concept of technodelics as a paradigm shift in psychedelic medicine. Integrating immersive technologies can enhance and personalise psychedelic experiences, potentially optimising therapeutic outcomes. Combining the profound effects of psychedelics with the immersive nature of VR and AR, technodelics may open up new possibilities for therapeutic interventions.

The typical human approach of advancing therapies before full legalisation carries inherent risks. One significant risk is the potential for premature technology adoption without a thorough understanding or sufficient evidence of its safety and effectiveness. This pattern of pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers is not unique to psychedelic-assisted therapy. Throughout history, humans have often embraced innovative technologies, such as electricity, radiology, nuclear energy, and the internet, before fully comprehending their potential risks and implications. While this approach can lead to unforeseen challenges, it has also been instrumental in driving progress and transforming various fields. In the context of psychedelic therapy, responsible exploration and careful evaluation of technology can harness its benefits and contribute to the ongoing development of effective and accessible mental health treatments.

Ethical concerns around privacy, data security, and responsible use of technology also need careful consideration. However, the benefits of innovating in this area are significant. Integrating virtual reality, augmented reality, and other technological tools can enhance therapeutic outcomes, personalise treatment experiences, and broaden access to mental health support. These innovations have the potential to advance the field, promote further research, and contribute to the growing understanding of psychedelic-assisted therapy. While risks exist, responsible exploration and innovation can pave the way for more effective and inclusive approaches to mental health treatment.

VR in Psychotherapy

Virtual reality has shown great potential in treating various mental health conditions. One of the significant advantages of VR lies in its ability to create realistic and immersive environments that can expose individuals to feared or distressing situations in a controlled and safe manner. For instance, Rizzo and Koenig (2017) highlight the use of VR exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). By recreating traumatic scenarios, VR allows patients to confront their fears and gradually desensitise themselves to triggers. Rothbaum et al. (2001) conducted a study demonstrating the effectiveness of VR exposure therapy in Vietnam veterans with PTSD, showcasing its potential as a therapeutic tool.

Moreover, VR can be utilised for treating generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Gorini et al. (2010) examined the use of VR in treating GAD. They found that VR environments provided a safe and controlled setting for exposure therapy, assisting individuals in managing anxiety symptoms. The immersive nature of VR allows therapists to create tailored scenarios, fostering personalised treatment approaches (Maples-Keller et al., 2017).

AR in Psychotherapy

While the research on augmented reality in psychotherapy is still in its infancy, it holds promise for enhancing therapeutic interventions. AR overlays digital content in the real world, creating an augmented environment. Ortega-Hernández and García-López (2020) systematically reviewed AR interventions for mental disorders and discussed their potential applications. Although their review covered a broad range of mental disorders, it shed light on the potential use of AR in psychotherapy.

AR can support therapists in real-world scenarios by providing real-time information, cues, or prompts. For example, AR could enhance the therapeutic experience in exposure therapy by overlaying contextual information or coping strategies onto the client's real environment. This could help individuals with phobias or anxiety disorders navigate challenging situations with the support of digital content seamlessly integrated into their surroundings.

Enhancing the Psychedelic Experience

VR and AR can enhance the psychedelic experience in several ways. These technologies can create immersive virtual environments that facilitate relaxation, introspection, and visual stimulation during psychedelic sessions. Customised virtual environments can be designed to support individuals' emotional states and therapeutic goals, providing a visually captivating and immersive setting that complements the psychedelic experience.

Moreover, VR and AR can augment the therapeutic process by overlaying meaningful symbols, metaphors, or interactive elements onto the psychedelic journey. AR, in particular, can integrate real-time guidance, therapeutic prompts, or supportive visuals directly into the client's surroundings, creating a blended reality that combines the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics with the added insights and guidance technology provides.

Benefits and Limitations

The integration of VR and AR into psychotherapy offers several advantages. Firstly, these technologies provide a safe and controlled environment for exposure therapy, allowing individuals to confront their fears without needing real-world scenarios. Secondly, VR and AR enable therapists to tailor treatment experiences to individual needs, fostering personalised interventions. Additionally, these technologies can enhance engagement and motivation within therapy sessions.

However, there are certain limitations to consider. One limitation is the cost and accessibility of VR and AR equipment. High-quality immersive experiences often require expensive hardware and specialised software, making them less accessible to all therapists and clients. Furthermore, technological limitations, such as motion sickness or visual discomfort, may affect some individual's ability to fully engage with VR or AR experiences. Ethical considerations, such as privacy and data security, must also be addressed to ensure the responsible use of these technologies in psychotherapy.

Facilitating Integration and Aftercare

Integrating the psychedelic experience into daily life and the subsequent therapeutic integration process are crucial aspects of psychedelic therapy. VR and AR can play a significant role in supporting this integration. VR environments can be utilised during integration sessions to revisit and explore significant aspects of the psychedelic experience, helping individuals process and integrate insights gained during the session.

AR, on the other hand, can provide real-time cues and reminders in the client's physical environment, helping individuals apply the lessons learned from the psychedelic experience to their everyday lives. AR-based applications can assist with setting intentions, reinforcing positive behaviours, and promoting ongoing self-reflection and growth.

Considerations and Challenges

While the potential of VR and AR in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is promising, several considerations and challenges need to be addressed. Ethical considerations, such as ensuring privacy and data security, are crucial when incorporating technology into highly personal and vulnerable therapeutic experiences. Additionally, technological limitations, such as potential motion sickness or discomfort, must be minimised to provide clients with a seamless and comfortable experience.

Moreover, the accessibility and affordability of VR and AR technologies need to be considered to ensure equitable access to technodelic interventions. Continued research, clinical trials, and collaboration between experts in psychedelic therapy and technology development will be essential to navigate these challenges and fully harness the potential of technodelics.

Conclusion

The integration of VR and AR into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, known as technodelics, represents an exciting frontier in psychedelic medicine. These immersive technologies have the potential to enhance and personalise the psychedelic experience, facilitate integration, and support ongoing therapeutic growth.

Virtual reality has demonstrated efficacy in exposure therapy and treating anxiety disorders, while augmented reality is promising to enhance real-world interventions. As the field continues to evolve, further research, development, and ethical guidelines will be vital to ensure the responsible and beneficial use of technodelics in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. With continued advancements, VR and AR have the potential to reshape the landscape of psychotherapy, providing innovative and effective tools for mental health treatment.

• References

  Rizzo, A. S., & Koenig, S. T. (2017). Is clinical virtual reality ready for primetime? Neuropsychology, 31(8), 877-899.

  Rothbaum, B. O., Hodges, L. F., Ready, D., Graap, K., & Alarcon, R. D. (2001). Virtual reality exposure therapy for Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 62(8), 617-622.

  Gorini, A., Pallavicini, F., Algeri, D., Repetto, C., & Riva, G. (2010). Virtual reality in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorders. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 154, 39-43.

  Maples-Keller, J. L., Bunnell, B. E., Kim, S. J., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2017). The use of virtual reality technology in the treatment of anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 25(3), 103-113.

  Ortega-Hernández, J., & García-López, L. M. (2020). Augmented reality in the treatment of mental disorders: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1287.

  Zeifman, R. J., & Wagner, A. C. (2021). Technodelics: A paradigm shift in psychedelic medicine? Frontiers in Psychiatry,